Tank-closure lock



Patented Dec. 23, 1930 PATENT OFFICE AUBREY 0. BRADSHAW, F BLUEFIELD,WEST VIRGINIA -TANx-cLosURE Loox Application filed Novemberl, 1928.Serial No. 316,517.

This invention relates to improvements in tank locks, and moreparticularly to means forA locking caps on gas' tanks or they like,

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple form of lockingmeans incorporated in a cap or plug and associated with the usual llingopening of a tank, whereby removal of the cap is prevented and thuseliminating the possibility of access to the interior of the tank byunauthorized persons.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a closure lock which.may be locked in position upon a tank filling opening by a downwardpressure upon the cap.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tankclosure embodying a lock of such structureas to prevent removal of thecap, except through a straight upward lift of the cap, thereby obviatingthe possibility of prying oz or twisting of the cap from A still furtherobject of the invention is the provision of a locking cap and adapter ofextremely simple form, cheap to manufacture and readily applied to tanksnow in general use, s

A still further-,object of the invention is the provision of closurelock having means whereby thelockais protected from rain, dust or otherforeign matter, and yet 'permitting free passage of air through saidlock to the interior of the tank.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a motor vehicle, having my lock appliedto the filling open- 40 ing of the gasoline tank,

Figure 2 is a cross section illustrating the cap in locked position,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the cap in unlocked position,

Figure 4 isa cross section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a view in perspective showing theparts of the lock and theirrelation with one another,

Figure 6 is a modified form of mounting the lock upon a tank.

enlarged internally, as at 6, to provide a seat for a closure cap. Theenlarged portion yiii!) 1s cut away and forms a circumferential seat 7,from which there extends an inwardly 'sloping cam surface 8. The camsurface is of a length to accommodate its associated cap, and at itstermination there is provided a latch-engaging recess 9.

A closure cap 10 is provided, and in the present instance, comprises acentral plug portion 11 having a diameter to snugly fit within thesurface 8, and intermediate its length is formed with a flange 12arranged to seat upon the seat 7 of the adapter. A recess 13 is formedbetween the flange 12 and the outer wall 14 of the cap, and within thisrecess there is disposed a packing gasket 15.

Centrally through the body 11 there is formed a bore 16 receiving atubular 'rotary barrel 17 of the lock. v

As clearly shown in'Figs. 4 and 5, the plug body 11 is provided with 'achannel 18 in 80 which there is slidably arranged a pair of latchmembers 19. T he latch members are connected to the rotary barrel 17 bymeans of the plate 18a for their retractionA upon manipulation of thekey 20. The plate 18a comprises a pair of pins 19l which are engagedwithin slots 20? of the latch members 19. It will thus be seen that uponrotation of the barrel 17, the latch members 19 will be retracted. Thelatch members 19, in the pres- 9" `ent instance, are substantiallyL-shaped,

having a bill 21. A helical spring 22 is inter osed between these billportions 21, there y urging the latch members 19 outwardly, forengagement beneath the shoulder 9. A cover plate 23 is secured overthelatch members 19 Aand the spring 22 tohold them in theirproper-relations.

. In order to protect the lock mechanism from dust, rain, or otherextraneous matters,

the cap l() is provided with a threaded collar 24 encircling the bore16, upon which a vent cap 25 is secured. It will thus be seen that thelock is amply protected against dust, rain, ctc., and at the same timeallow for venting. of as which ma'y be produced in the tank 4. eferenceis now made to Fig.`y` 6, wherein I have illustrated a modied form ofmounting the adapter neck upon a tank, without the use of rivets..Thetmember' 1 is here shown as comprising a flange 26 suitably secured,as by welding, to the underside of the tank wall.

In effecting a closure with my device, the cap 10 is placed upon theopen end of the adapter 1, the latchl members 19 being in their normalprojected position, and resting upon the shoulder 7 A downward pressureof the cap will cause the latch members 19 to engage the cam surface 8,and due to' the inclination of the surface 8 will cause a backwardmovement of the'latches until they have entirely cleared the surfaceS.When the cap has been fully seated, the latch members 19 will be urgedoutwardly b the springs 22 to en age beneath the shoul ers 9, andthereby loc the cap against removal.

To release the cap,.the vent cap 25 is removed, the key 20 inserted andmanipulated to rotate the barrel 17. Upon rotation of the barrel 17, thelatch members 19 are retracted, whereupon the cap 10 may berremoved by astraight upward lift.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a locking caWhichmay be readily installed upon a tan andone which obviates allpossibility of removal of the cap by prying off or twisting of the capfrom its seat, ldue to the lit betweenthe body 11 and enlargement 6. Bythe construction presented it is only possible to remove the cap by astraight upward lift. v

I am aware that prior patents have been granted upon closure ca sinvolving a locking means, but I do not lnow of any Where-- in the capmust be removed by a straight upward lift.

I claim:

1. In a closure for tanks, the combination with a tank having a fillingneck, said neck having an annular enlargement intermediate its length,and having annular recesses at the upper and lower sides thereof, aclosure ca arranged to seat in one of said recesses, saig cap havin acentral plug portion fitting within sai annular enlargement andprojected below said enlargement, a lock mount ed in said plug, saidlock having latch members arranged to be projected from opposite' sidesof said plug lower recess.

2. In a closure for tanks, the combination with a tank having a fillingneck, said neck having an annular flange intermediate its or engagementin said surface, annular recesses at the 'upper and lower sides thereof,a closure ca arranged to seat in one of said recesses, said ca having acentral plug portion fittingI within said annular flange and projectingbelow said flange, a lock mounted in said plug, said lock having s'ring-pressed latch members arrange to e forced rearwardlyinto retractedposition by said sloping flange, and outwardly into said lower recesswhen aligned therewith.

3. A lock comprising a closure plug, locking means and means foractuating said locking means both carried by the plug, and a fillingneck with which the plug is cooperative, having an enlar ement locatedinternally for concealment and to form a seat into which seat thelocking means is projectable, said enlargement reinforcing the fillingneck against collapse in the zone of the locking means.

AUBREY O. BRADSHAW.

length, said angehaving a sloping inner

